The Precarious State of Educational/School Psychologists in Cameroon: Confronting Title Usurpation, Systemic Role Confusion, Structural Amateurism and the Quest for Legitimacy

This article critically examines the precarious state of educational/school psychology in Cameroon through a conceptual framework defining the educational psychologist (EP) or school psychologist (SP) as a specialist in learner well-being, academic support, and evidence-based interventions. SP roles lack statutory recognition despite ministerial policies acknowledging student support needs. Title usurpation proliferates, with unqualified personnel (teachers, spiritual guides, social workers) impersonating EPs/SPs due to regulatory voids, eroding service credibility and risking learner welfare. Concurrent systemic role confusion blurs professional boundaries: SPs are frequently conflated with teachers (focused on pedagogy), guidance counsellors/spiritual guides (prioritising academic/moral advice), and social workers (addressing socioeconomic barriers), diluting specialised mental health interventions. Structural amateurism compounds these issues, stemming from: 1) absent specialised SP training programmes; 2) difficulties adapting Eurocentric psychological models to Cameroon’s sociocultural realities; and 3) professional isolation limiting knowledge exchange. The consequences are severe: learners face unmet psychological needs affecting academic outcomes; the education system lacks standardised support frameworks; and the SP profession battles eroded legitimacy. To address this, we propose: 1) statutory regulation via a national professional association; 2) specialised SP training through university programmes; and 3) structured supervision networks. Crucially, Cameroon’s state university Departments of Educational Psychology are pivotal in driving solutions by: a) designing accredited SP curricula integrating local cultural competencies; b) delivering continuous professional development; and c) promoting a unified professional identity distinct from allied roles. Without these reforms, Cameroon’s SP field will remain fragmented, perpetuating amateurism and failing its educational community.